Combination pin setter and pin spotter



Jan. 29, 1929. 1,700,176

J. OLSEN COMBINATION PIN SETTER AND PIN SPOTTER Filed May 16 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 1 4. f1 20 A 4 4; l 37 3 5a iven/5r flfahz 0/911 Jan. 29, 1929.

J. OLSEN COMBINATION PIN SETTER AND PIN SPOTTER :5 She ets-Sheee 2 Filed May 16, 1927 di l/5135i:

Jan. 29, .1929. 1,700,176

. J. OLSEN COMBINATION PIN SETTER AND PIN SPOTTER Filed May 16, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 29, 1929.

UNITED STATES JOHN OLSEN, OF ROCK RAPIDS, IOWA.

COMBINATION PIN BETTER AND PIN SPOT'I'ER.

Application filed Kay 18, 1927. Serial No. 191,684.

The object of my invention is to provide a pin setter and a pin spotter for use in bowling alleys with coacting parts, whereby the operation of the pin setter in placing the pins on the alley floor automatically serves to actuate the pin spotter and thus eliminates all necessity for paying any attention to the pin spotter.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide certain improvements in a pm setter by which the cost thereof is reduced and the operation improved.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, ar-

; rangement and combination of the various parts of my combination pin setter and pin spotter, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pin setter embodying my invention installed in position for cooperation with the pin spotter, the alley section. t

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the pin setter in its lowered position.

Figure 3 is a vertical, sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged, detail, sectional view of one of the pin setter pockets showing the parts in one position.

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the parts in another position and showing a portion of the spotter.

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the parts in still another osition.

Figure 7 is a detai sectional view taken on the line 77 of Figure 6.

- Figure 8 is a perspective view of the bolstering member viewed from the front; and Figure 9 is a similar view of the same, viewed from the rear.

It has become the usual custom in bowling alleys to employ. a mechanical pin setter,

- whereby a considerable amount of time can be saved. Pin setters do not always set the pins exactly on the proper spots.

In some alleys therefore, itis the custom to use pin spotters. Pin spotters ordinarily are installed' beneath the alley floor and are provided with fingers, which can be projected upwardly through the floor into the recesses in the pins for moving the pins accurately to the proper spots.

floor being shown partly in It has formerly been the practice for the v pin boy to operate the pin setters, and after the pmswere placed on the alley floor, to

actuate the pin spotter by means of a foot treadleor the like.

By providing my combination device, whereby the movementv of the pin setter in setting the pins on the floor serves also to actuate the pin spotter, there is thus saved the time and labor heretofore required for actuating the spotter.

In the drawings herewith, I have used the 1 .It comprises a frame having a suitable number 0 pin receiving pockets.

Provision is made for normally supporting the frame above the alley and for lowering the frame to the alley for setting the pins. Upright posts or the like 20 are supported from the alley walls 14 and are connected at their up er ends by means of a cross mem-' ber 22. he uprights 20 and cross members 22 are preferably made of pipe with suitable fittings.

The pin setting and receiving units are assembled in a frame 24, triangular in general outline, and consisting 0 three outer. frame members 24, forming the main triangular frame, and a suitable number of foreand-aft extending members 26 and transverse members 28.

The frame is provided with a top or cover member 30, provided with suitable o enings for the units hereinafter more fu ly described.

The frame 24 is supported in the manner hereinafter more fully explained for vertical movement above the alley floor.

I shall first describe the method of supporting the frame and then describe the pin receiving units carried by the frame.

- Suitable long coil springs 32 are connected by hooks 34 with the member 22 of the fixed supporting frame, and by eyes 36 and screw rod 54, which is journaled in them. The

' of the ordlnary hooks 37 with the frame 24. The springs are so tensioned that they will normally hold the frame 24 in its. raised position, as illustrated in Figure 1.

When the last of the ten-pins 18 are placed in the units of the frame, the movable frame will drop toward the alley floor.

Projecting laterally from the movable frame 24 are arms 38 from which rods 40 extend upwardly, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The rods 40 are suitably connected at their upper ends, by a cross rod 42, which may be journaled in them. The rods 40 are slidably mounted in spaced guide brackets 44 fixed on the upright members 20, as by means of set screws 46.

Braces 48 connect the rods 40 with the frame 24 as illustrated for instance in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Extending inwardly from the lower brackets 44 are short arms 50. Pivoted to the arms 50 are links 52 normally extending upwardly.

Links 56 are fixed to the rod 42 and hang downwardly therefrom, and are pivotally connected at their lower ends to the cross links 52 are connected with the rod 54. (Figure 1). i c

Loosely mounted on the rods 40 just above the arms 38 and above the upper ends of the braces 48 are bumper springs 58, which serve to cushion the upward movement of the frame 24, as hereinafter again referred to.

I will now refer to the pin receiving units, which are substantially of the kind shown in the patent to Alfred N. Olsen, No. 1,414,787, issued May 2, 1922, with a slight modification which will be hereinafter referred to. v

Each unit consists generally of a pocket, such for instance as is shown in Figure 4, having what I shall call the front wall consisting of part of one of the transverse members 28 already mentioned, side walls formed of portions of the frame member 26, and a rear wall 60 secured between the walls 26 and inclined from its lower end upwardly and rearwardly as shown in Figure 4.

Each wall 60 is formed at its upper end with an offset portion 60 at the lower part of which is what may be called a cam face 62.

At the front of each unit, seated in the box, and projecting upwardly therefrom is an abutment member indicated generally at A, having'the side walls 64 adjacent to the walls 26, and the main body portion 66 transversely and vertically curved to conform generally to the contour of the body ten-pin. The shape of this body portion is described -in the Olsen patent above referred to.

The body portion 66 is provided w1th a horizontal flange 68, which rests upon the top 30, as shown in Figure 4, and is secured thereto as by screws 70.

The lower part of the body 66 is provided with a flange 72 abutting against the front wall 20 of the pocket.

4 Near the. lower part of the body 66, it is szecured to the wall 20 by means of a bolt Due to the shape of the body 66, the butt end of a pin 18' thrown into the unit, will be guided downwardly, until the pin will assume an approximately upright position, when it comes to rest between the abutment member A and the bolstering member, which now be described.

- The bolstering member indicated generally by the character B is illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

The bolstering member B comprises a body 76 having the downwardly projecting legs 78 slidable in inclined grooves 80, which are large enough to allow substangial play fore-and-aft of the bolstering mem- The body 76 is formed at its upper portion with a front face 82*transversely concave. Below this face are forwardly projecting portions 84, which carry rollers 86, with their axes arranged at an obtuse angle to each other, so that the rollers may engage the side of a pin received within the unit at points thereon on opposite sides of the middle rear part of the pin 18.

I here use the terms front and rear in the opposite meaning from that of their use in said Olsen patent.

In the rear side of the body 76 are supported spaced rollers 88 for traveling on the forward face of the inclined wall 60. At the bottom of each leg 78 is a roller 90 for engaging the floor of the bowling alley. The purpose of the rollers 90 is to reduce as far as possible the friction on the floor 10.

The body 76 is provided at its upper end with a rearwardly projecting flange 92, which in the lowered positions of the bolstering member rests upon the cover member 30 for thereby limiting the downward move ment of the bolstering member to the position shown in Figure 4. I

In the practical operation of the pin setter hereinbefore described, the tension of the springs 32 is such that when the ten-pins are in the receiving units, the frame 24 will be held in its raised position as shown in Figure 1.

When the pins 18 are thrown into the units, they will engage the body 66'and assume an upright position.

When the pins are thrown into the units, the bolstering member will be in the position shown'in Figure 4, which is its lowered position. The rollers 88 will rest againstthe front surface of the wall 60 and below the cam face 62. The rollers 86 will be spaced from the adjacent side of the abutment member body 66, a distance less than the maximum diameter of the ten-pin. Thus when the pin is dropped or thrown into the unit, it will strike the abutment member and be held up between this member and the rollers 86, with the forward side of the pin engaging the curved inner surface of the abutment member body 66, and the rear side of the pin engaging the rollers 86 on a line below the line of maximum diameter of the 1n. p When all of the pins have been thrown into the units, the weight of the movable frame 24 together with that of-all the'pins will be great enough to lower the pin setter against the tension of the springs 32.

However, when the frame 24 is in its raised position, the rod 54 swings slightly past center as illustrated in Figure 3, so that the wei ht of the loaded movable frame 24 will tend to pull the rod 54 against the spring and prevent the complete lowering of the frame 24.

The pin boy in the pit grasps-the rod 54 and swings it rearwardly and downwardly toward the full line position shown in Figure 3 for thus controlling the downward movement of the frame 24.

As the frame 24 approaches the floor 10, .he rollers 90 of the bolstering members will engage thefloor, and then the further downward movement of the frame 24 will cause the frame 24 to drop downwardly with relation to the bolstering members, until the rollers 88 travel over the camfaces 62, permitting the bolstering members to swing rearwardly slightly, thus permitting the rollers 86 to pass over the largest diameter of the pin 18 in each instance, whereupon the pins 18 will drop downwardly slightly and be spotted. v

The pin boy then swings the rod 54 upwardly and releases it. Thereupon the springs 32 will raise the frame 24 toits normal raised position.

The springs 58 loosely mounted on the rods 40 will strike the brackets 44 and cushion the upward movement of the frame 24.

The momentum of the rod 54 will carry it over center to its dotted line position shown in Figure 3, whereupon the setter will be in position for another cycle of operations.

It has become the practice in many of the best bowling alleys to use a pin spotter in addition to using a pin setter.

The pins 18, as now manufactured, are formed with a tapered recess 94 in their hottoms, and with an upwardly projecting hole of relative small diameter 96 extending from the upper part of the recess 94.

The pin spotter is a device, which projects a finger upwardly through the floor 10 into instance on another frame 104. The frame 102 is ,mounted for vertical reciprocating movement underneath the floor 10.

The frame 102 has a plurality of upwardly projecting fingers 106 connected with the frame 102 in any suitable way as for instance in the manner disclosed in my pin spotter application last above mentioned.

It will be understood that the fingers 106 are slidably received in the holes 98.

For raising and lowering the frame 102, I provide the following means:

Pivoted'to the frame 104 or to any suitable support is a bell crank lever 108, which stands below the forward part of the frame 102.

Pivoted to the frame 104 or any suitable support below the rear part of the frame 102 is another lifting member, such for in- C stance as thebell crank lever 110.

On the frame 24 and projecting rearwardly therefrom is a bracket 112 supporting a heavy rubber bumper or the like 114..

On the bell crank lever 110 is an upwardly projecting arm 110, carrying a roller 110, which is arranged to stand in the path of the bumper 114, when the movable pin setter frame 24 approaches its lowermost position for depositing the pins 18 on the alley.

Thus the pin setter in its pin setting op-.

eration serves to automatically operate the pin spotter, thereby eliminating the necessity for a separate operation of the pin spotter or for giving special attention thereto. 1

It will, of course, ,be understood, that when the pin setter is raised, the spotter frame 102 will drop bygravity to its lower inoperative position.

The primary purpose of my present application is to provide a combination pin setter and pin spotter having cooperative parts, whereby the operation of one of these mechanisms serves to automatically operate the other.

It ,will be understood that the principle of such an invention may be followed out by the use of a great variety of different pin setters and pin spotters.

Another purpose of my present invention is to provide certain improvements in the pin setter mechanism hereinbefore described,

and in these also, variations may be had without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention.

It is therefore my purpose not to limit myself to the specific mechanical structures herein disclosed, and I desire to cover by my claims any structures which maybe reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1.- In a structure of the class described, the combination of a pin setter With a pin spotter, having coacting parts whereby the movement of the pin setter in its pin setting operation serves to actuate the pin spotter.

2. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a pin setter with a pin spotter, said pin spotter having an operative member, said pi-nsetter having a means for engaging said member when the pin setter is operated for setting the pins, for thereby actuating the spotter.

3. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a pin sette adapted to set pins in upright position on an alley, with a pin spotter having an actuating member, said pin setter having a means for engaging the said member as the setter nears the completion of its movement for setting the pins for thereby actuating the spotter.

4. In a structure of the class described the combination of a pin setter and a pin spotter, with means whereby the setter in its pin setting operation automatically actuates the spotter 5. In a structure of the class described,

the combination of a pin setter mounted for reciprocating with a movable pin spotter, adapted to normally drop by gravity to in operative position, and having an operating member, said pin setter having means for engaging said operating member when the pin setter is moved for pin setting operation, for thereby raising the spotter to operative position..

6. In a pin setter, a movable pin receiving frame, having pin receiving units, coil springs for supporting said frame normally in raised position, and swingable actuating means for moving said pin receiving frame, said means being arranged to strike said coil springs upon completion of its swinging movement in one direction.

7 In a pin setter, a pin receiving frame mounted for vertical sliding movement, having pin receiving units, coil springs for supporting said frame normally in raised position, tensioned to permit the frame to drop when pins are place in the units, a pair of pivotally hung links, a pair of lower links pivoted to said frame, a cross rod pivoted between both pairs of links and adapted to swing over center and against said springs when the frame moves upwardly.

8 In a pin setter, a supporting frame, brackets thereon, a pin receiving frame, rods extending upwardly therefrom slidably received in said brackets, springs on said rods for engaging said brackets for cushioning the upward movement of the reeeiving frame, coil springs carried by the supporting frame and connected with the receiving frame for supporting said pin receiving frame on the first frame, links pivoted to the supporting frame, and other links pivoted to the receiving frame, and a transverse rod pivotally connecting the first mentioned links to the second mentioned links and adapted, on the upward movement of the receiving frame to swing over center.

Des Moines, Iowa, May 6, 1927.

' JOHN OLSEN. 

